A rugby Club World Cup being discussed

A rugby Club World Cup is being discussed among Europe's elite.

European Professional Club Rugby, which represents European clubs, said on Monday it was in ongoing talks about staging a global club tournament every four years that would complement existing competitions.

The reveal was prompted after French Rugby Federation president Bernard Laporte proposed an annual Club World Cup that would replace the European Champions Cup.

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“Work on possible formats is ongoing with a collaborative approach and issues of player welfare to the fore.”

Laporte's plan involved 20 teams: 4 from the Top 14, 4 from the English Premiership, 4 from the Pro14, 6 from Super Rugby, and the champions from Japan’s Top League and America’s Major League Rugby.

They would be divided into four pools, with quarterfinals through to a final, and played over six weekends in June and July.

Laporte believed a Club World Cup would generate far more profits than the European Champions Cup.

“The European Cup is magnificent, I was able to lift the trophy three times with Toulon and I know what it can represent,” Laporte told Midi Olympique. “But let's be frank, it doesn't generate enough income.

“I’m sure of one thing: We must create this competition and very quickly. It could be a breath of fresh air for the whole of world rugby. This (coronavirus) crisis must push us to be innovative. Let's make this new competition, I'm sure that the public and television will follow."